Yarn break isolating arrangement for beaming apparatus



Dec. 31, 1963 J. B'. TUTHILL ETAL 3,115,692

- fi/P/ae Ate?" JOHN BROWN TUTHILL LEON HERSHEY ZIMMERMAN, JR.

Dec. 31, 196.3 J. B. TUTHILL ETAL 3,115,692-

YARN BREAK ISOLATING ARRANGEMENT FOR BEAMING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1960 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Fl G. 20 TI I h f 6 33 7 34 F l G. 2b

Y a so @3 1 FIG. 3

m G1 & 38 f INVENTORS JOHN BROWN TUTHILL LEON HERSHEY ZIMME'RMAN,JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,ll5,692 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 3,115,692 YARN BREAK ISGLA'HNG ARRANGEMENT FUR EEAMEJG APPARATUE John Brown Tuthiii, Gld Hickory, Tenn, and Leon Hershay Zimmerman, .ln, Kinston, N11, assignors to E. i. du Pont de Nernours and Company, Wilmington, Del.,

a corporation of Delaware Filed May 24, 1960, Ser. No. 31,381 1 (Ilaim. (Cl. 2851) This invention relates to the winding of yarn and more particularly to the winding on beams of warp sheets of yarn from a multiplicity of small packages.

In the manufacture of various types of filamentary materials it is often necessary to wind a plurality of filamentary strands in parallel order upon an elongated spool-like device called a beam. When the yarn is shipped in this fashion to the weavers mill, the warp for the ultimate woven fabric may then be readily formed by merely unwinding the yarn from the beam.

in the winding of such beams it is desirable that yarn breakage be kept at a minimum and that the winding be interrupted promptly in the event that one of the strands should break in order to permit repair of the break. Devices for detecting the break and automatically stopping the winding apparatus have been developed and are well known in the art. However, if the break occurs close to the beam, the broken end will frequently be wound into the beam and sometimes lost before stoppage can be effected. in such cases the broken end is difiicult to locate and adjacent threads are damaged in the process of locating and repairing the broken end. The presence of such defects in beams results in considerable trouble for the weaver or other user and must consequently be greatly limited or eliminated by the yarn supplier to prevent production of unsatisfactory or undesirable product and possible loss of sales.

A major cause of breaks in yarn being wound in such a system is the snagging or catching of the yarn as it is unwound and moved away from the multiplicity of small packages. When a strand becomes snagged or fouled, the tension applied by the beam drive will break the yarn. The break in conventional winding or beaming arrangements can occur anywhere between the beam and the point of snagging which may be located at a number of locations such as at the small package itself, at the tension device usually located near the small package, at the guide which arranges the strands from the plurality of small packages to form the warp, etc. However, most breaks ccur near the beam. Snagging or catching is generally caused by kinks, irregularities, or other defects in the windup of the small packages.

it is an object or" this invention to provide an improved process of winding yarn on beams from a multiplicity of small packages in which process the breakage of yarn strands due to snagging at the small package end of this system is limited to a given zone of yarn travel and such breakage is detected in the given zone to cause automatic stoppage of the beam rotation so that the breaks can be easily repaired before the broken yarn end is wound into the beam.

It is another object of this invention to provide imroved apparatus and combination of mechanisms to limit yarn breakage due to snagging to a zone positioned at a maximum distance from the beam and detect yarn breakage in this zone to produce a signal for stopping the beam drive so that breaks in the yarn may be expeditiously repaired.

It is a further object to provide an improved yarn winding arrangement in which the total number of such breaks per beam is substantially reduced.

It has been found that breakage of the yarn close to the beam can be substantially eliminated by interposing a plurality of strand-driven tension rollers between the creel and the beam. With this arrangement, breaks in the individual thread due to snagging or catching almost always occur between the tension rollers and the small yarn package on the creel. It has also been found that the use of these tension rollers leads to a substantial reduction in the total number of such breaks occurring in the winding of the beam.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from a consideration of the specification, claim, and the drawings, in which:

FEGURE l is an over-all perspective view of an improved yarn windup arrangement embodying the present invention with some of the control circuits shown schematically.

FEGURE 2a is a schematic side view of the preferred arrangement of three tension rolls engaging the warp in the position of operation.

FIGURE 21) is a view similar to FIGURE 2a with the movable roll vertically displaced so that no engagement or tensioning of the warp occurs.

FIGURE 3 is a partial vertical cross sectional view transverse to the axes of the tension rollers of the tension roller assembly looking toward the mechanism for adjusting the position of the middle roll, rollers being shown in cross section, the rolls being shown in an open position in which there is no tensioning engagement of the middle roll with the warp sheet.

FEGURE 4- is a partial horizontal cross sectional view of the tension roll assembly shown in FIGURE 3 taken on line IV-IV, showing the relationship of the middle roll adjustment drive motor.

FEGURE 5 is a side view of one type of break detector device showing the line of yarn strand travel in relation to the contact-carrying elements.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic showing of known conventional yarn windup arrangements with the yarn break and detection zone indicated.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic showing of a yarn windup arrangement embodying features of this invention with the limited yarn break and detection zone indicated.

The general arrangement of the preferred embodiment of this invention is best shown in FIGURE 1. Two housing elements 2 extend vertically upward from one end of base member 1. Rotatably mounted between elements 2 is elongated spool-like device 3 which is called the beam upon which the plurality of strands or threads, which comprise the warp, are wound in a side by side relationship. Beam 3 is driven in the direction shown by the arrow by a suitable drive means (not shown) in one of the housing elements 2.

Proceeding back along the path of the traveling threads, it wiil be seen that the threads are led over a guide roil 4- which is also mounted between elements 2 parallel to the axis of beam 3. A conventional reciprocating comb guide 5 is also mounted between housing elements 1?, to traverse the threads or strands back and forth across guide roll t so that they will be wound with a slight traverse on the core of beam 3.

The mechanism identified by the reference numeral 7 is an eyelet board which, in addition to keeping the threads separated, serves as an aid in identifying the thread with respect to the package from which it is being unwound.

A thread break detector 3 is supported on vertical supports 9 and '9 and functions to bring the beam 3 to a quick stop in the event any one of the threads ltitl making up the warp 6 breaks between the tension roll assembly 3% and the beam 3. The break detectors may be of the conventional drop-wire type as described in US. latent 2,447,553 and similar to the type shown in FIGURE 5.

3 Break detectors 8 and 1'35 are connected to beam power drive control box 15 by electrical leads 21, 22, 2 5, and 2.7. Control box 15' houses controls for beam power drive means (not shown) in housing 2.

Tension roll assembly is supported across the path of warp travel by vertical members 31 and and consists of two rotatably mounted rolls 33 and having fixed axes and a rotatably mounted roll 37 having a vertically displaceable axis. Roll 37 is rotatably mounted in two upright elements on of which is shown at which are slidably supported between vertical guides 35 and in vertical members 31 and 32. Upright element 3% and its comparison element (not shown) are movable to selected vertical positions by means of a motor driven rack and pinion arrangement. This vertical movement enables roll 37 to move between an upper position (FlGURE 2b) having no contact with the moving warp 6 and lower positions (FIGURE 2a) of varying contact and application of tension to the warp 6. If desired, a conventional braking device can be used with any of these rolls to further increase the tension in the warp between the rolls and the driven beam. The rolls are preferably driven by the warp passing over or around them.

Assembly d, mounted on supports 51 is a guiding structure for gathering and aligning the converging yarn threads lltltl coming from the individual yarn pack-ages W1. Transverse members 164 on frame unit MP2 are provided with eyelet guides 11% for the threads and also incorporate thread break detector devices 11% similar to mechanism 8. The plurality of yarn pa kages feeding the warp 6 are mounted on a supporting frame unit 1632 which is known as the creel.

Devices to are positioned on the creel lltlil near the yarn packages 101 to change the direction of yarn travel and apply the first stage of tension from the rotating beam 3 to the yarns lt d. Devices so are thread-tensioning devices.

It is believed that the operation. of the disclosed apparatus is clear. The plurality of yarn packages 1'31 are mounted on frame or creel 16 2. T he individual ends 1% of the yarn are unwound from the packages ltlll, passed through the tension devices 60, guides 1% and thread break detector devices lltlfi in members lltll, thence through yarn guiding and gathering assembly 559 to the tension roll assembly 39. From tension roll assembly 3% the thread ends are passed through thread break detector 8, unit '7, traversing comb guide 5, and guide roll 4 to the beam 3.

In the preferred version of the tension roll assembly three tension rollers are used in conjunction with break detectors W5 located in members 1G4 near the yarn packages ltll. The three rollers used are front roller 33, back roller 34, and a middle or center roller 37 which is preferably used in a position vertically dsiplaced from the other two so that the warp sheet contacts approximately one fourth of the surface of the first and third rollers 33 and E -l and about one-half of the surface of the second roller 3-7.

For most effective results the tension rollers are used in combination with the usual tension devices which are customarily situated near the yarn p ckages on the creel. Typically, these are disc and post type devices such as are conventional in the art. The amount of tension applied at this point will, of course, be reduced in proportion to the amount of tension applied by the rollers of this invention so that the total winding tension on the beam will be the same.

In the preferred arrangement, the yarn is passed from the packages 1531 on the creel 11% through one or more disc'and-post type tension devices so, then through a break detector and guide assembly (the break detector may be of the drop-wire type as shown in FIGURE 5 and as described in detail in U .8. Patent 2,447,553), through eyelet board 59, then over the first tension roll 33, under the second 37 and over the third roller 34, then through a d. second break detector 8 and finally to the beam where it is wound up.

in applicants novel arrangement, breaks due to snagging or catching of the yarn in the vicinity of the yarn packages occur between the tension roller assembly creel rather than between the tension roller assembly and the beam. The reason for this is that with the previous tension devices, schematically shown in FIGUIE 6, the tensions due to yarn snagging or improper feed from the packages P are concentrated in the yarn length D runnin from the packages P to the beam B As indicated in FIGURE 7, applicants addition of the tension roller assembly T and additional break detector R in the vicinity of the creel causes a major portion of the winding tern sions to be isolated between the individual yarn packages P and the roller assembly T with the desirable and use ful result that a correspondingly large portion of such breaks occur and are detected in the limited yarn length D running in advance of or upstream. of the tension rollers. This, of course, teams that with such breaks. stoppage of the beam is controlled by the first break detector R the broken yarn end will not have become lost on the beam and can readily be repaired prior to restarting the winding operation.

In addition, with this arrangement breakage of indi vidual threads is reduced as much as 50% and prac tically all of the breakage takes place between the creel and the tensionrollers so that the winding may be stopped before the broken end reaches the beam. In the event that breakage should occur, though infrequently, be tween the tension rollers and the beam, such breaks aredetected by the second break detector situated between the tension rollers and the beam.

The tension rollers are preferably made of chromeplated steel, however, other materials, such as various other metals, plastics, ceramics, or resinous materials may be employed where suitable. It will be seen that the torn sion rolls are driven by the frictional engagement of the many strands of the traveling web. When an instantane ous tension caused by yarn snagging is applied to a yarn upstream of the tension rolls, the fact that the rolls as driven by the other yarn strands rotate in a direction to retard or brake the transmissions of this tension or force through the rolls to the beam side of the yarn helps to insure that a break due to this increasing tension of av snag will occur upstream of the tension rolls and be (le tected there. In other words, the braking action, or frictional engagement, causes the incoming snagged yarn length to reach its breaking tension before the outgoing yarn length reaches this tension level.

It is believed that the substantial reduction in the overall number of breaks is due to the fact that most breaks are those occurring due to snagging and, in addition, the novel arrangement disclosed by applicants, involving a plying the tension more gradually to the yarn in two stages rather than all at once, gives the yarn snags or breaks a greater ability to clear or free themselves due to the yarn resilience and lower tension.

When warping yarns of relatively low denier, thfi fristion developed by the rollers will usually ptt v quate tension. However, for heavy denier yarns, if y be desirable to provide some additional braking action on one or more of the rollers. A convenient means for accomplishing this is by the use of a brake of some con ventional type. By this means the tension on the warp sheet may be changed by a simple adjustment rather than changing tension weights on each position of the creel.

While the three-roller arrangement illustrated is preferable for most purposes, other arrangements involving two or more rollers so arranged that the yarn is snubbed around each roller to prevent slippage and thus cause. the warp sheet to drive the rollers may be used.

Since it is obvious that changes and modifications can be made in the detailed arrangement above described without departing from the spirit of'this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited except as set forth in the following claim.

We cl aim:

An improved apparatus for simultaneously continuously winding a plurality of resilient yarn ends on a beam from a plurality of individual yarn packages, said apparatus comprising a supporting frame structure, a plurality of yarn packages mounted in said supporting frame structure, a plurality of first stage yarn tensioning devices corresponding to said plurality of yarn packages and positioned in operative relationship thereto, an adjustable second stage yarn tensioning and braking means positioned and arranged to receive a plurality of yarn ends running from said yarn packages through said first stage yarn tensioning devices, a power driven beam rotatably mounted to receive and provide the sole yarn pulling Windup forces for the plurality of yarn ends running from said second stage yarn tensioning and braking means, a primary yarn break detection means positioned in operative association with the yarn ends to detect any yarn breaks occurring between said second stage yarn tensioning and braking means and said yarn packages, at secondary yarn break detection means positioned in operative association with said yarn ends to detect any yarn breaks occurring between said second stage tensioning and brak ing means and said beam and to stop beam rotation, said second stage yarn tensioning and braking means operating to retard the transmission to the departing yarn lengths of sudden yarn tensions developed in the yarn length appreaching the second stage tensioning and braking means so that breaks in the yarn due to snagging in the vicinity of said packages will occur between said second stage tensioning and braking means and said individual yarn packages, said primary yarn break detection means cooperating with said second stage yarn tensioning and braking means to stop rotation of the beam, when such breaks occur, before the broken yarn end is completely Wound up on said beam, said first and second stage tensioning means further cooperating to provide a graduated increase in yarn tension so that breaks in the yarn due to snagging and catching of the yarn passing from the individual packages are substantially reduced due to the self-clearing action possible under the initial low tension.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 78,453 Howard June 2, 1862 500,541 Rhoades June 27, 1893 539,358 Denn et al May 14, 1895 754,748 Cooker et al Mar. 15, 1904 1,714,126 Cocker May 21, 1929 1,768,746 Cocker July 1, 1930 1,818,526 Baker Aug. 11, 1931 2,017,008 Loncteaux et al Oct. 8, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 855,454 France Feb. 12, 1940 

